Envelop or paper fastener.



No. 747,087. PATENTED DEC. l5, 1903. S. D. RUTH.

ENVELOP 0R PAPER FASTENER.

APPLIUATIONFILED SEPT. 20, 1902.

N0 MODEL` Patented December 15, 1903.

NVELOP 0R PAPIER FASTENER.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,087, dated December 15, 1903.

Application ledSeptemher 20, 1902. Serial No. 124.213. .No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. RUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beatrice, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Envelop or Paper Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and convenient meansof securing together a number of sheets of paper or for fastening an envelop or folder without the aid of adhesive material or auxiliary fastening devices of any character.

To this end the invention consists in forming a tongue by converging incisions in a folded portion of the paper and bending the wedge-shaped or inclined tongue so formed out of alinement with the material from which it is separated by the incisions and securing said tongue in place by passing the opposite edges thereof through the other incisions formed in the paper.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an envelop or a folded sheet or circular,illustrating the arrangement of the slits or incisions formed in the paper in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tongues bentback and having their opposite edges passed through the parallel incisions in the envelop. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, drawn to an exaggerated scale, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a face view illustrating a number of sheets of paper bent at one corner and provided with a single tongue. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the tongue bent out of alinement with the material from which it is separated by the inclined slits, the opposite edges of the tongue being passed through parallel incisions in the paper, and thus secured in place. Fig. 6 is a face view of a numberof sheets in which the tongue is bent down and forced through the body of the paper beyond the folded portion.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.'v

Referring to the drawings, l indicates an envelop or a sheet or number of sheets of paper to be secured together. As a preliminary, the edge orcorner of the folded sheet or sheets to be secured is bent over, as indicated at 2 in Figs. 1 and 4t, the paper being folded by hand or by means of a suitable tool. In the folded portion of the paper I then form a number of inclined slits 3, converging from the edge of the folded portion toward the body of the sheet, there being two of such slits for each fastening and any number of fastenings being used in accordance with the size of the envelop or sheet. Ata point adjacentto the two inclined slits of each fastening are formed a pair of incisions 4,separated from each other for a distance less than the greatest width of the tongue. For fasteninga number of sheets at one corner, as illustrated in Figs. 4. and 5, it will only be necessary to form one pair of inclined slits and one pair of parallel incisions; but in the case of a folded circular or envelop any number of slits may be formed. The material between each pair of slits forms an inclined or wedge-like tongue, which is bent out of alinement with the material from which it is severed and when so bent will positively hold and secure the sheets of paper together. To increase the security of the fastening, the opposite edges of the tongue are then inserted through the parallel incisions and the tongue locked in place. The engagement of the tongue in the incisions serves also to more iirinly bind the sheets together and prevents independent movement where the fastening is employed to connect a number of separate sheets.

The fastening is of especial value for securing envelops containing samples or envelops which must be left open for inspection by the postal authorities and is of considerable value as a means for securing folded circulars without necessitating the expense of aninclosing envelop and Without disguring or mutilating the circulars to any material extent.

It will be noted on reference to Fig. 2 that the side edges of the tongue are forced through that portion ofthe parallelincisions formed in the body of the envelop, it being unnecessary for the tongue to pass through the incisions formed in the folded end, While at the same time the tongue serves to confine the edge of the folded portion in proper position.. This,

however, is optional and in a measure dependent on the width of the fold and the length of the tongue, and in some cases it may be de- IOO sirable to pass the edges of the tongue thro-ugh that portion of the parallel incisions formed in both the fold and the main body of the envelop.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the incisions are so placed as to necessitate the forcing of the tongue through incisions formed in both the folded corner of the sheets as Well as the body of the sheets, while in Fig. 6 the incisions are so placed as to permit the tongue to overlap the folded corner and pass through only the incisions in the body of the sheet. The tongue may of course be bent in either direction.

Envelops and circulars of this character may be made to order in quantities, and the sheets of paper may be placed on the market with the corners partly creased and provided with the inclined slits and pair of incisions.

In order to hold the sheets of paper together, it is essential that the tongue-forming slits should be on other than parallel lines, and the depth of cut may be regulated in accordance with the size and number of the sheets to be secured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1 l. A paper-securing means comprising an angular tongue formed by a pair of convergent incisions extending inwardly from the edge of the paper, and a pair of substantially parallel incisions in front of and adjacent to the tongue, said incisions being spaced from each other for a distance less than the greatest width of the tongue and said tongue being bent back on the paper and having its opposite inclined side portions passed through said substantially parallel incisions.

2. A securing means for a plurality of superposed layers or sheets of paper comprising an angular tongue formed in a bent portion of the paper by a pair of convergent incisions extending inward from such bent edge, there being a pair of parallel incisions directly in front of the convergent incisions and extending through both the bent portion and the body of the paper and beyond the inner edge of such bent portion, the inclined sides of the tongue being passed through the parallel in-` cisions and serving to firmly hold the inner edge ofthe bent portion ofthe paper in place.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL D. RUTH.

Witnesses:

H. V. MILLER, C. W. GREENING. 

